Fire resistant mattress

ABSTRACT

A fire resistant mattress includes a fastener that allows a mattress cover to be opened to expose a mattress core having at least one combustible component. The fastener is preferably a slide fastener or a hook and pile fastener. A flap of fire resistant material extends downwardly from the top surface of the mattress cover and covers the fastener during normal use to protect it against an open flame. The mattress meets the open flame test requirements of Technical Bulletin 603 of the California Department of Consumer Affairs.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a fire resistant mattress for beds, futons andthe like, and more particularly to a fire resistant mattress having afastener such as a slide fastener or a hook and pile fastener.

2. Prior Art

Mattress fires are a recognized problem. Most mattresses until recentlywere made of fabrics and foams that were highly combustible. Even now,combustible foams are used in mattresses to provide the desired comfortat a reasonable price. Typically, these foams are surrounded by a fireresistant cover if it is desired to make the mattress as a whole fireresistant.

Numerous fire resistant mattresses for beds, futons and the like areavailable. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,823,548 discloses a fire barrierfor mattresses and mattress foundations which includes both a firebarrier and a thermally insulating fabric. U.S. Pat. No. 6,718,583 toDiaz describes a fire retardant mattress with outer layers that char ormelt while protecting inner highly flammable materials such as foam usedto form the mattress core. U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,261 discloses a fireretardant mattress with a burst-resistant seam. The seam includes athermoplastic tape that melts when exposed to flame and covers thethread used to close the seam. Various fabrics and fibers are also knownfor such purposes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,841,243 discloses afluoropolymer fiber useful for mattress covering. U.S. Pat. No.6,606,846 is directed to a fire resistant corespun yarn and fabric thatis usable in mattresses. U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,099 discloses a fireresistant fabric which, when exposed to flame forms a char that preventsflame or hot gases from penetrating the fabric. The disclosures of allthese patents is incorporated herein by reference.

These prior art solutions could be improved. For example, most of theprior art fire resistant mattresses involve encasing the foam core in afire resistant cover permanently, and great care is taken to ensure thatthe cover lacks any openings for flame to pass through. On the otherhand, it is often desirable to remove such a cover to clean it or toreplace the foam core of the mattress. Conventionally, a slide fastener(zipper) or a hook and pile fastener (such as the fastener sold underthe trade designation Velcro) is mounted in the cover so that it can beeasily removed. But slide fasteners and hook and pile fasteners are verypoor at keeping flame away from the combustible mattress core. Plasticslide fasteners and hook and pile fasteners quickly melt, exposing themattress core to direct flame. Metal slide fasteners do not quicklymelt, but they are a very ineffective barrier against flame.

Recently, the state of California has barred the sale of mattresses andbox springs that do not meet an open flame test set forth in TechnicalBulletin 603 issued by California's Department of Consumer Affairs.Currently available mattresses having slide fasteners or hook and pilefasteners in the cover are uniformly unable to meet these standards.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly, in a first embodiment, a fire resistant mattress of the presentinvention includes a mattress core having at least one flammablecomponent, a removable flame resistant cover surrounding the core, thecover having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side surfaceextending between the top and bottom surfaces, a fastener extendingalong at least a portion of the side surface or the top surface so thatopening the fastener provides access to the mattress core, and a flap offlame resistant material extending downwardly from the top surface alongthe side surface a distance sufficient to cover the fastener, said flapbeing manually movable upwardly to expose the fastener.

In a second embodiment of the present invention, a fire resistantmattress includes a mattress core having at least one flammablecomponent, a removable flame resistant cover surrounding the core, thecover having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side surfaceextending between the top and bottom surfaces, a fastener extendingalong at least a portion of the side surface or the top surface so thatopening the fastener provides access to the mattress core, and a flap offlame resistant material extending downwardly from the top surface alongthe side surface a distance sufficient to cover the fastener, the flapgiving the mattress an appearance of a pillow-top mattress.

Among the various objects and features of the present invention are theprovision of:

A fire resistant mattress having a removable cover.

A fire resistant mattress having a fastener in its cover.

A fire resistant mattress that is relatively inexpensive.

A fire resistant mattress that meets the open flame test of saidTechnical Bulletin 603.

Other objects and features will become apparent from consideration ofthe ensuing description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fire resistant mattress of the presentinvention, having the appearance of a pillow-top mattress.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevation of a side portion of the mattress ofFIG. 1, with a protective flap moved to its upper position and with afastener exposed to view.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1, showing the top of themattress cover folded back to reveal the combustible mattress core.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating protection ofthe fastener from an open flame by the flap.

Similar reference characters indicate similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Turning to the drawings, a fire resistant mattress 11 of the presentinvention includes a top surface 13, a bottom surface 15 (FIG. 2), and aflap 17. Top surface 13 and bottom surface 15 are connected together bya side surface 19 which forms the various sides of the mattress. Themattress as shown has four sides 19 a-19 d, although mattresses ofdifferent shapes could have more or fewer sides. Together the top,bottom and side surfaces, along with flap 17, form a cover for themattress which encloses a mattress core 21 (FIG. 3) having at least onecombustible (flammable) component. Core 21 is shown in FIG. 3 as a solidfoam core, but the present invention is not limited to such cores.

The top, bottom and side surfaces, as well as the flap, are composed offire resistant material, which may be any of such materials known in theart. It is preferred that the cover made up of such surfaces may beremovable so as to expose the core for cleaning, replacement, etc. Tofacilitate removal, mattress 11 includes a fastener 25 that extendslongitudinally along at least a portion of the side surface or the topsurface. In FIG. 3, the fastener extends along three sides 19 a, 19 b,19 c of the side surface 19 near or at the top of the side surface.Alternatively, it can extend along the edge of the top surface. In anyevent, the fastener should be positioned at a location in either the topsurface or the side surface where it conveniently permits opening of themattress cover to allow access to the core. Fastener 25 may be anyconventional metal or plastic slide fastener, or any conventional hookand pile fastener, that is otherwise suitable for connecting the topsurface 13 to the side surface 19.

In the preferred embodiment, flap 17 of flame resistant material extendsdownwardly from top surface 13 along the side surface a distancesufficient to cover the fastener. The flap extends around at least threesides of the mattress shown in the figures. If the fastener is presenton all four sides, the flap extends to the fourth side as well. It isimportant that the flap cover all portions of the fastener when the flapis in its normal, downward position.

As indicated in FIG. 2, the flap is manually movable upwardly to exposethe fastener. Although the construction of the flap is not critical, itcan include a taped rib 27 at the top where it connects with the topsurface, and a taped rib 29 at the bottom where it abuts side surface19. If desired, rib 29 may include elastic material to provide a tighterfit between flap 17 and side surface 19. In any event any tape andthread used in mattress 11 should be fire resistant. In choosing thematerials making up flap 17, both melting and charring-type materialsmay be used, so long as they provide the required fire resistance setforth below.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, in a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention flap 17 extends downwardly from top surface 13 a relativelyshort distance. This gives mattress 11 the appearance of a pillow-topmattress.

It has been discovered that the structure described above providesexcellent fire resistance. Prior to this invention, mattresses withslide fasteners or hook and pile fasteners routinely failed direct flamefire resistance tests. With the present invention, however, mattress 11can pass extremely strict open flame tests such as those set out inTechnical Bulletin 603 of the State of California Department of ConsumerAffairs (the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference).The material of the flap when it melts or chars under an open flameprevents the flame from penetrating the cover to reach the combustiblecore during such testing.

It should be appreciated that mattress 11 achieves the various objectsof the present invention in an unexpected, economical manner. It has thefurther advantage of providing the desirable appearance of a pillow-topmattress when implemented as shown in the present drawings. Thedescription and drawings herein are intended to be illustrative only andnot limiting. The present invention is defined not by this description,but rather by the following claims.

1. A fire resistant mattress comprising: a mattress core having at leastone flammable component; a removable flame resistant cover surroundingthe core, said cover having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a sidesurface extending between the top and bottom surfaces; a fastenerextending along at least a portion of the side surface or the topsurface so that opening the fastener provides access to the mattresscore; a flap of flame resistant material extending downwardly from thetop surface along the side surface a distance sufficient to cover thefastener, said flap being manually movable upwardly to expose thefastener.
 2. The mattress as set forth in claim 1 wherein the flap givesthe mattress an appearance of a pillow-top mattress.
 3. The mattress asset forth in claim 1 wherein the fastener is plastic.
 4. The mattress asset forth in claim 1 wherein the fastener is metal.
 5. The mattress asset forth in claim 1 wherein the fastener is a slide fastener.
 6. Themattress as set forth in claim 1 wherein the fastener is a hook and pilefastener.
 7. The mattress as set forth in claim 1 wherein the flap iscapable of resisting an open flame when tested pursuant to TechnicalBulletin 603 of the State of California Department of Consumer Affairs.8. The mattress as set forth in claim 7 wherein the flap prevents openflame from touching the fastener when so tested.
 9. The mattress as setforth in claim 1 wherein the side surface defines four sides of themattress, the flap extending along at least three of said sides.
 10. Themattress as set forth in claim 1 wherein the mattress core flammablecomponent includes foam.
 11. The mattress as set forth in claim 1wherein at least a portion of the flame resistant material of the flapmelts when exposed to an open flame.
 12. The mattress as set forth inclaim 1 wherein at least a portion of the flame resistant material ofthe flap chars when exposed to an open flame.
 13. The mattress as setforth in claim 1 wherein the flap is secured to the rest of the mattressbody by fire resistant tape and fire resistant thread.
 14. A fireresistant mattress comprising: a mattress core having at least oneflammable component; a removable flame resistant cover surrounding thecore, said cover having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a sidesurface extending between the top and bottom surfaces; a fastenerextending along at least a portion of the side surface or the topsurface so that opening the fastener provides access to the mattresscore; a flap of flame resistant material extending downwardly from thetop surface along the side surface a distance sufficient to cover thefastener, said flap giving the mattress an appearance of a pillow-topmattress.
 15. The mattress as set forth in claim 14 wherein the fasteneris a slide fastener.
 16. The mattress as set forth in claim 14 whereinthe fastener is a hook and pile fastener.
 17. The mattress as set forthin claim 14 wherein the flap is capable of resisting an open flame whentested pursuant to Technical Bulletin 603 of the State of CaliforniaDepartment of Consumer Affairs.
 18. The mattress as set forth in claim17 wherein the flap prevents open flame from touching the fastener whenso tested.
 19. The mattress as set forth in claim 14 wherein the sidesurface defines four sides of the mattress, the flap extending along atleast three of said sides.
 20. The mattress as set forth in claim 14wherein the mattress core flammable component includes foam.
 21. Themattress as set forth in claim 14 wherein at least a portion of theflame resistant material of the flap melts when exposed to an openflame.
 22. The mattress as set forth in claim 14 wherein at least aportion of the flame resistant material of the flap chars when exposedto an open flame.
 23. The mattress as set forth in claim 14 wherein theflap is secured to the rest of the mattress body by fire resistant tapeand fire resistant thread.